


In Living, Loving Memory

by starry_wink



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-09
Updated: 2018-04-21
Packaged: 2019-03-15 19:30:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,597
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13620183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starry_wink/pseuds/starry_wink
Summary: In the midst of the time when a prophesied tragedy is to befall over the earth, a series of fortunate events led to an encounter― the kind one would say fate had finely tuned and tugged the strings together for their paths to cross through in that one chance meeting.In a world where all could live together in peace, a world where man and nature itself lived in harmony, remnants of wars that prolonged up to decades will soon be washed away by new memories experienced in the time of rest.Tetora lived in that simple kind of world, believed he had been content with what he already had and knew. That is, until he met him, whose eyes shone and sparkled chartreuse, reflecting to him a story originating from centuries upon centuries, and the tinge of sorrow wisely concealed behind his smile.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> hello! this is like one of my first attempts in writing a fic.. a long one at that! mostly centered around tetohina+yuushino but i'll add more characters as we go.. this is set in a fantasy AU.. many mysteries are yet to unfold..!!!  
> enjoy! ☆

Parties held at the Sakuma manor were often known to be especially lively when hosted during the deepest of nights. There would be pleasing orchestral music played by the very hosts of the party, performances showcased by professionals, high end food only accessed through outrageous amounts of cash, and of course… 

The plethora of supernatural entities who came to attend.

Aside from what their job serves them to do, Tetora has absolutely no idea why he was even tasked to attend. 

It was all a coincidence. His captain was an acquaintance of the Lord of the house. Under the guise of securing and protecting the guests in the middle of the party, he had received a few extra invitations for anyone else he wished to bring along. His captain took it too seriously and only invited close friends that actually work along the army. Really, human guards to protect  _ powerful creatures _ ?  _ What a joke _ .

Tetora never really was a fan of parties, they’re usually too formal and boring, too full of adults who only talk about money, politics, and business. He noticed, however, that this party isn’t like those. Conversations were often magical, stories that would be depicted in epics or fantasy novels. Legends of the discourse they once faced against humans and how they were able to overlook past it and allow the flavors of wine wash away the bitter taste of wars from the past.

He’s at the very least thankful his captain invited his friends from the army along, or else it seriously would’ve been a bore for the poor boy who’d have no one to mingle with.

"This party is too depressing… I want to go home and die.." The boy beside him moaned, though he was somewhat relieved he’s not the only one. 

"Cheer up, Midori-kun! The food looks real’ good and.. free! You too, Shinobu-kun." It’s not like Tetora had a choice anyway, so he’ll just go ahead and make the most of the party.

Shinobu, on the other hand, found himself distracted over a magician who spawned some baby frogs from his hat. Tetora’s pretty sure the norm would be spawning a rabbit, but it’s not even a normal party for humans in the first place.

It’s only 10:15PM, only 15 minutes have passed since they came here, all dolled up and wearing formal suits. The party’s said to end on the deadly hour of 3AM. There were no strict orders to stay until the party’s over, but it’d be rude to leave without even reaching half an hour after the party began.

Even so, he already felt horribly strained, almost as if his energy was being absorbed from his body. He wanted to go home, eat some food he  _ actually _ understands, then maybe do a bit of training.

"Rei! Where oh where might your adorable children be?" A loud booming voice made its way to his ears. That’s new though, he never knew Sakuma Rei had a consort, much less children.

"Kukuku. Aren’t you excited to see children that actually  _ like _ you..? They should be arriving shortly. They’re still fussing over what they wanted to wear, when I last checked in on them," Rei sips from his glass.  _ That drink looks a bit too dark and thick to be wine _ ..

As if on cue, a pair of orange-haired boys wearing outfits nothing short of fancy ran from the vampire’s back and greeted him with a hug, much to Rei’s surprise.

"Nihihi~ Might you two be gossipping about us? Bad, bad!" One of them grins, the other almost slaps his twin’s back.

"Don’t be pretentious, Aniki," he shook his head, and turned to greet the man talking to their father. "Good evening, Uncle Wataru." 

"My adorable nephews! Come, come to uncle~" He almost hit the person near them when he spread his arms out, but the feeling of his hair getting gently tugged from behind by who seems to be his consort (a blonde man donning a white and gold outfit) managed to stop him from causing an embarrassing little scene.

One of the twins muttered an almost inaudible  _ Thank you _ to the blonde. The other gladly accepted the hug though. 

It didn’t take a while for Tetora to notice this, but even from afar, he could see the otherworldly shine their green eyes seem to emit. 

"Um.. Tetora-kun? Shinobu-kun isn’t respond― Oh.. You too…” Midori sighs, opting to look at the same direction the two has their eyes on. He squints, trying to see if he could match the faces to any name he remembered, and on his mind, it clicked. "Oh.. Hinata-kun and his little brother.." 

Tetora and Shinobu almost snapped their necks after having their heads make a whole 90 degree turn in such a short second to give Midori a comical look. 

"You know them?" Tetora seemed really surprised, as was Shinobu.

"Yes..? I met Hinata-kun once at the Capitol.. He was looking for his little brother and dragged me into it.." Midori shrugged.

"If you’re going to talk about me, at least let me hear it, Midori-kun!" Tetora almost didn’t believe it, but one of the twins suddenly popped out from behind the three of them with a playful smile on his face. His eyes were even more sparkly up close, almost like a gem.

Shinobu promptly screeches and passes out from shock. 

His twin heard ruckus and turns his head to see the poor boy lying on the floor before hurriedly making his way to the group. "Aniki-!? Stop giving our guests a heart attack!" 

"What! I didn’t know it’ll turn out this way~" Hinata gave his brother a sheepish wink and almost gets kicked in the face for it. 

When Yuuta finally arrived at the group, he crouched down and checked to see if Shinobu’s still breathing. He snapped a few times near his ear to see if he wakes up. He thought he saw him open his eye for a split second, but it immediately closed shut almost as if he forced himself back to sleep. Yuuta sighed, "Sorry about Aniki, he does this a lot. There’s a lot of guests rooms in the mansion so he can lie down and rest for a bit..?" 

The two nod at the gracious offer, and Yuuta calls for an escort to carry Shinobu to a guest room. Yuuta comes with them and left Hinata with the two gentlemen.

"So! How’s the party so far~?" Hinata takes a sip from his glass. It doesn’t smell like wine. Grape juice maybe..?

"I- Uh," Tetora scrambles for words, "It’s alright! The food’s real’ great and.." He nervously took a sip from his own glass to buy some time and think for any appropriate response.

"It’s boring and I wanna go home.." Midori continued in his stead, to which Hinata replied to, "I know, right!?" 

Tetora almost spat out his drink.  _ I see. _

Hinata heaved a sigh and stretched his arms upward, "This party sucks.. The  _ real deal _ actually starts at midnight. Say, you smell like a human! Who are you?"

Hinata leaned close to Tetora, maybe  _ too _ close. It gave him the opportunity to take a closer look at his face, how the left side of his hair is neatly tucked behind his ear and held back by two pink hair pins, while the right portion of his hair fell gracefully over the side of his head, beautifully framing his youthful face. His hair is a sunny orange, a shade that reminds him of a breathtaking sunset after an eventful day, and his eyes shone green, chartreuse and reflective like a rare polished gem.  _ He’s beautiful.. _

"This is Tetora-kun.. He’s part of the army too, like the one that passed out just a moment ago.." Midori covertly pinched Tetora’s arm, which thankfully snapped him out of his daze.  _ Stop. Don’t be gay on the first meeting. Stay manly. _

"Hm~ Tetora. Te~to~ra." Hinata rolled the name over his tongue for a few tries, letting himself get used to it. "Tetora.. Tetsu-kun!" 

"Wha-!?" 

"Nice to meet you! I’m Hinata, the prince of the manor! Also a fox youkai just like my lovely Yuuta-kun~!" He stretched a hand out and smiled widely. 

"Y-yeah.. Same here!" Tetora shook hands with him.  _ A fox youkai..? Well that explains the sharp hearing.  _

"The party’s so boring! Come on, let’s go have some fun outside!" Hinata let go first, which is unfortunate since Tetora really liked how soft and warm his hand felt. But then his wrists shifted to pull him and Midori away, uncaring for any sign of protests, "To the garden we go~!" 

"Don’t just decide something like that!?"

"Sheesh, I know you’re bored too! There’s plenty of wonders in the garden!"  _ if not for Dad’s magic-induced tomatoes. _

Tetora ended up letting himself get taken away. As much as he seemed to be against it, he’s actually grateful deep inside.

  
  
  
  
  


Tetora has only heard of fox youkai from folklore, those who could summon vicious storms or tragedies and those of pure goodwill harboring luck for those that moved by their favors. If there’s one other thing he knew about them, it’s that they’re only able to shapeshift into human form upon reaching at least half a century of their lives. And though he thought the twins are probably  _ way _ older than they looked, he’s still thankful they appear to be near his age. It made him feel less awkward and more comfortable with the whole situation at hand.

They lost Midori on the way. It seemed that their Captain spotted him and reeled him in their own little circle of acquaintances. In the end, only Tetora and Hinata made it to the garden.

He wasn’t lying when he said the garden was full of wonders. There were species of plants he never knew existed, flowers that look like they were encrusted with precious diamonds, tiny but magical critters that would peek at them from time to time, and the crystal clear lake that had a picture-perfect reflection of the moon.

Sightseeing didn’t seem to be in Hinata’s list of ways to have fun though, and Tetora doesn’t notice when the tall bushes shift to form a grassy labyrinth behind his back, twisting and turning branches blocking the exit they once went through to even arrive in the place.

The path before them unfolds, and there is noticeably much less of the past ‘wonders' the garden first introduced him to. The trees looked old, the floor is littered with decaying leaves and twigs, and there was no sign of the mansion.

Almost like a forest. 

_ In a moment, Tetora suddenly feels his head pound, as if a pulse of visions just tried to push through his head― no, like a memory. It wasn’t so clear, but he’s pretty sure the sky flashed bright just now unlike the murky darkness the moon so desperately tried to shine its light over. _

And when he turned around, Hinata wore a completely different outfit. Something more detailed and traditional, gold ornaments decorating his outfit and hair, fox ears sprouted from his head and five  _ very _ fluffy-looking tails peeked from behind.

There’s a worryingly large amount of scraps and bruises scattered about the visible parts of his body, and on top of it all, he looked really exhausted.  _ And cold. _

Tetora’s instincts told him to take his coat off and cover him up to keep him warm, but his gut told him that this boy didn’t look like he wanted to be touched.

Before he could think of any other way to help, Hinata speaks,  "Tetsu-kun." 

His voice sounded way more firm than he’d expect from someone who’s all battered up and almost shivering from the cold. It took a moment for Tetora to find his own voice, but he eventually does.

"Hinata-kun..? Are you oka--" 

"Did you know why bodies grow cold?" 

"....?" 

Hinata took a step forward, not minding how his movements aggravate most of his injuries. His hair ornaments  _ clang _ together like a windchime, creating a sound most pleasant amidst the heavy atmosphere lingering in the entirety forest. Tetora backed up at this.

_ Tetsu-kun.  _

_ Tetsu-kun. _

  
  
  
  
  


"Tetsu-kun! Hey~!?"

When he blinks, he realizes he’s back in the garden, with a seemingly annoyed Hinata snapping his fingers in front of his face. He’s all pouting and placed a hand on his hip, much like a child. "Hello~? Earth to Tetsu-kun?"

Tetora blinks a few more times to register what just happened. He’s unsure of what just happened, but he presumes it’s because of all the supernatural energy flowing from the party. He mentally scans the condition of the other boy in front of him, making it clear to himself that he’s okay, he’s not cold and  _ not scary at all _ . There’s the urge to ask Hinata about it since he was involved after all, but he thinks maybe he’ll save it for another time. "Yeah, I’m fine, I just... got dizzy..?" 

"Oh..? Then should we return to the mansion after all? Like Yuuta-kun said, there’s plenty of guest rooms all around! Feel free to stay as much as you like!" 

Tetora opens his mouth to protest, but Hinata was having none of it and pulls him away by his wrist to the upper floors of the mansion. 

_ That’s right, his hands are still warm, he’s not shivering at all. _

He tries to push off whatever it was that occurred earlier from his thoughts and lets himself get taken away for the second time of the night.

  
  
  
  
  


Somewhere in the mansion, Shinobu encounters his own set of problems. Honestly, he had hoped the boy would just go away the moment he shut his eyes again to pretend he passed out, but he didn’t expect an offer as gracious as a free stay in such a luxurious mansion.  _ Yes, even the guest rooms were lovely. _

He still can’t help but feel uneasy though, he opts to pretend he’s still asleep until the twin finally leaves, but it doesn’t look like it won’t be happening soon seeing how worked up and genuinely worried he looks, peeking at Shinobu from time to time while fixing himself up at the mirror.

While he did manage to take a short nap thanks to the very welcoming comfort of the bed, he doesn’t feel like he’ll be falling asleep again soon over having knowledge that he’s in a mansion full of all sorts of creatures, so he stays alert just in case. The thought of having to stay completely still wasn’t a pleasant one though,  _ but it’s an excellent training concept for ninjas!  _ But then again, it’s not so easy when the person he’s concealing himself from actually knows he’s  _ right there, _ and the inconvenience makes him grumble and pull the blanket over his head, covering himself up entirely. 

Wait. That wasn’t a good idea.

Because now it has attracted the attention of the other boy in the room, who cautiously steps over and loom over him gently. "Are you awake…? If you need more blankets I’ll go tell one of the maids.." The turns to walk to the door.

Shinobu almost immediately sits up, dismissively waving both of his hands at him, "That won’t be necessary! Y-Yours truly can survive minor hindrances as trivial as the cold!"

The boy gives him a skeptical look, before sighing and walking back to sit at the edge of the bed. It is then he notices that a cold air seems to radiate from the boy himself, and he could feel the chill despite sitting from at least two feet away. "You sure..? I can leave if you want me to, since it gets especially cold when I’m such a small room." 

"N-No, no! This humble ninja is deeply grateful for your concern! To make you leave would be a request much disgraceful from someone as I..!" Shinobu blurts out, bowing his head deeply at the other.

"Ah- Please raise your head~? I should be the one apologizing for my Aniki’s behavior. Seriously, that guy.." Shinobu wasn’t sure if he was hallucinating, but he’s somewhat certain icy frosts crept through his skin and the room grew colder only for a split second.

Shinobu lets out a quiet involuntary gasp, but the boy’s sharp ears notice immediately and lets out another sigh, "I’m very sorry, I’m still a novice in terms of stabilizing my powers. I’m Yuuta, by the way. I’m a fox youkai. I’m Lunar, Aniki’s Solar. Guess you could say we always have to be together to balance each other out, so…” Yuuta moves away from the bed, exchanging glances with himself on the mirror. He’s fidgeting with tiny specks of snowflakes between his fingers, something he usually does when he’s nervous.

"Yours truly does not mind the cold at all! It’s alright!" Shinobu hops off the bed and fixes himself up, puts a hand over his chest and bows, "Sengoku Shinobu, at your service!" 

Yuuta chuckles fondly, taking a few steps closer and leans over to take a closer look. "I told you~ No need to bow, raise your head." Yuuta offers him a handshake, to which Shinobu gladly accepts.  _ It’s not too cold at all, _ he thinks, but it’s really just Yuuta using every ounce of his strength to force some heat onto his hand as to not freeze the other’s.

  
  
  
  
  


"Huuuh? So you two aren’t Lord Sakuma’s actual children?" Tetora’s musings would echo around the halls if he were a bit louder, but the music from the spacious insides of the mansion drowns out any form of sound reflection. The three of them― yes, they’ve fortunately found Midori on their way back, hopelessly waiting for  _ anyone _ to save him from the despicable clutches of their Captain― walk the corridors of the floor the guest rooms are located in, save for Hinata walking with his back up front, hands behind his head and huffing confidently, knowing perfectly well how the corridors go.

"Nope! What, did you seriously think  _ vampires _ and fox youkai could be related?" Midori scans the hallway during their little walk, it almost looks like it never ends, and yet every corner looks so well-maintained. "Then.. How did you two end up with him..?" Midori asks curiously. 

"We all crossed paths only eighty years ago! ..I think. I’m just sure it’s a little less than a century," Hinata shrugs. "We were being hunted by really mean people, see? We got rid of those meanies, he found us, then took us in!" 

_ We? _ Tetora isn’t sure if he should ask about what he meant by that, so he goes for a different question instead. "How old are you guys then?"

Hinata looks at the ceiling for a moment, mentally calculating the years that have passed before and after they all came around. It took a few seconds, but Hinata’s sure with the answer, "Dad is at least four thousand years old, and Uncle Ritsu came by a few decades after, or so he says.. Yuuta-kun and I have lived for about seven hundred and fifty-nine years!"

Both Midori and Tetora made a  _ wow _ sound almost in sync, and Hinata proudly raises his chin up, grinning. "Then! Do you and your brother have powers aside from being immortal?" Tetora asks, intrigued. 

"Nihihi~ Of course! Yuuta-kun can manipulate temperatures and make it super chilly! And..―" 

Hinata suddenly stops on his tracks, breath held in his mouth and eyes wide, uncovering what seems to be inhuman slits that would belong to that of a fox. The two almost bumped against him over how sudden it was. "Hinata-kun? What’s wr―"

Releasing the breath he held, he suddenly bolts deeper into the corridors, taking a few sharp turns with the other two struggling to tail behind him. Something has happened, something only  _ he _ could hear, something only  _ he _ could  _ feel. _ And it’s not good at all.

Hinata got far too ahead of them, and when they finally caught up, a certain door is swung open which they both enter, only to see Hinata’s twin lying unconscious on his arms, and a very frightened Shinobu who seemed like he fell to the floor as well. He seems to be in a state of shock, and another thing to note is that the room is absolutely  _ freezing,  _ with thin pillars of ice towering around the perimeter.

But that’s the least of their concerns, because Yuuta’s ears and tails are out, and his skin harbors numerous icy scales of relatively thin layers.

And it seems to increase in number with every passing second.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yuuta’s current condition isn’t something Hinata has never encountered before, and it’s taking a lot to stop himself from bursting into tears and just hold on to his brother then and there. No, that’s no good, so he does what he can to suffice the heat Yuuta always lacked from within himself.

Sakuma Rei is informed almost immediately, and he arrives to his beloved sons’ aid with haste, along with some other people he knows that could be of help.

By the time they get there, they are greeted by the three particular guests last seen hanging out with the two.

The trio stayed outside the room upon Hinata’s request, and it’s possible about half an hour has already passed since they’ve stood there and waited.

The distressed vampire opens the door to let himself and some others in, and for the brief second that Tetora could peek in, he spots Hinata with his right over his twin’s chest, in which a bright, warm light emanates from the said hand, transporting itself to the other boy’s frostbitten body.

_It didn’t seem like it’s getting any better._

The door is shut close again the moment everyone gets in, and the three can only do nothing but wait and _pray._

 

  
  
  
Yuuta’s current condition isn’t something Hinata has never encountered before, and it’s taking _a lot_ to stop himself from bursting into tears and just hold on to his brother then and there. No, that’s no good, so he does what he can to suffice the heat Yuuta always lacked from within himself.

_It’s alright, he’ll be okay. I just have to do.. What I did last time this happened, right? I have to._

He takes a deep breath, and before he could pour in a single fraction of energy onto Yuuta, their father, along with four others arrive.

Rei wore a grim expression on his face the moment he set gaze on Yuuta’s face. Another boy― who frankly has the same height as the twins― steps forward and crouches down, sharp golden eyes inspecting the unconscious child. His white-streaked scarlet hair gracefully frames his face, with the unevenly cut fringe gently flowing from his left shoulder.

He lowers his fingers to the wooden floor, and the floor is marred with an ashy burn the moment his sleek fingers made contact with it. The burn spreads to different directions, which would soon form an extremely detailed pentagram around the twins.

He mutters various incantations of an ancient language, and one of the edges of the pentagram glows a luminous shade of green, and the rest white.

Hinata’s energy seems to have been halted from transporting itself to his brother, but so did the icy scales from increasing in number.

Next, the man with almost glowing silver hair steps to the door and places his palm over it, and in that moment, a closed barrier encases the quaint room. He turns, hair flowing along his movements to give the man with eyes as purple as his a stern look, signalling him to do what he must.

And he does, firmly raising an arm up, and a variety of spinning gears manifest themselves in the air, much like the mechanics of a clock. At the snap of his fingers, the gears stop moving and instead spin in reverse.

The ice that formed on the surface of Yuuta’s skin decreases dramatically― no, it’s as if time rewinded and the ice returns from whatever depths of his body it originated from. And the last man with slow, graceful movements resembling to that of a sea creature places his hand on Yuuta’s shoulder, ensuring the ice within him is all the way defrosted to an acceptable temperature for the recovering boy’s body.

When there’s no longer any sign of ice over his skin, the barrier is deactivated and rewinding time is put to a stop. Yuuta’s breath hitches, and he sits up awake, strongly inhaling some air. And when Hinata blinks, the pentagram is no more.

Yuuta peers at everyone in the room, wearing an expression that could only be described as someone confused. "Aniki? Did.. Something happ― Ah!?"

"I was so worried! I’m sorry! I’m sorry I left you all alone! I should’ve gone here much sooner! I’m so sorry!" Hinata would throw himself at Yuuta were he not holding him already, so he settles on hugging him instead. The apologies, however, could only earn more of Yuuta’s confusion.

"I don’t understand..? Dad? Uncles? What happened..?" Hinata actually doesn’t know what happened himself, and the adults exchanged glances for a moment before one of them speaks up. "Once time is turned back, the future may vary. Thus, it’s more of a _what’s going to happen_ instead of _what happened_."

The one with long hair speaks next, "Shu, won’t you explain it in a way everyone would understand?" He gestures to the twins, and the aforementioned snaps his head at this, releasing a sigh.

"I rewinded time― only limited to this room thanks to Wataru’s barrier, in order to prevent what’s going to happen. I assume Natsume would be best suited to explain what actually happened to _you._ " The redhead grumbles at this and crosses his arms, "Pushing the talking to me, aren’t you, Shu-niisan?"

Rei and the last man pats Natsume’s back, the tall, blue-haired personage giggling in response. "Nacchan knows ‘everything' after all~ A ‘good' boy who’ll explain everything, yes?"

"Flattery will get you nowhere, Kanata-niisan,"  he annoyingly huffs, facing the twins to explain everything despite his multiple complaints. He points at Hinata first, "You. Don’t think no one knew what you tried to do Earlier. Do it again and you’ll risk Yourself." Hinata gulps, and hopes his twin or his father doesn’t ask about it. Rei already shoots him a concerned look, however, and his hope is the tiniest bit cracked.

"Moving on, You," Natsume points at Yuuta, "Refraining from doing things you aren’t capable of stopping can only produce an entirely opposite Outcome. Keep this in mind when the time comes that you’ll feel the need to attempt doing So."

Yuuta doesn’t actually quite understand, and just decides to nod instead.

"Oioioi.. I don’t think he understood what you meant by that." Rei crouches down to analyze the condition of his children, and when he decides it’s safe enough for them to move, he pulls both of them for a tight, warm hug. "Well, it matters not. What’s important is that you’re both alright."

Natsume takes a final glance at the three before making his way to the door. "Rei-niisan, I’ll have to talk with you after the Party."

  
  
  
  
  


"It’s been a while now.. You guys think we should check in on them?" By this time the three’s pretty sure it’s been more than an hour, but it would bother their consciousness if they were to leave without making sure the twins are in good condition, and as every second passes, the more uneasy Tetora feels. "Should we knock?"

"That won’t be necessary."

The three jump at the sudden voice, and when they turn around, the door is already opened by Natsume who’s making his way out, followed by the rest of the occupants of the room, save for the twins and their father who remain seated on the bed.

The tall figure with long, silky hair immediately looms over the three, however, eyes sparkling in curious wonder. "Oh my, oh my? Kanata! Could this be― Ah! Please refrain from such hurtful actions!"

Kanata had deliberately chopped his head with his hand, and another thing to note is that he has a (terrifying) pleased smile on his face despite the amount of pain the three could only imagine upon reading the Wataru’s expression. The hand is slowly lifted up and returned to its owner’s side, dangling along the air as if it were swaying underwater. "Wataru~ Please do not ‘scare' the children.. Let’s get ‘going', yes?"

When Kanata turns away to leave, Tetora doesn’t miss the fondness in the man’s eyes when he took a momentary glance over the three of them, and though he’s pretty sure he’s never met him before, it felt as if it was a gaze they’re all used to feeling. Wataru gestures to the three that it’s okay to go inside the room before following his other companions.

The three of them exchanged glances first before deciding it’s best for Midori to enter the room before the two of them, where they can clearly see the ultimately feared Sakuma Rei fretting over his twins.

"I’m okay dad, I don’t even know what happened? I’m really okay," Yuuta isn’t sure how many times he’s going to have to reassure his brother and father until they finally believe him, but he might as well try.

Midori figures it’s best to ask permission first before entering the room, so for the split second of silence that _thankfully_ came by, he knocks on the opened wooden door. "Uh, excuse us.. May we come in..?"

"Midori-kun!" The twins chide in unison, and Rei motions them to enter. They do, but only for Yuuta to give a baffled look upon seeing Shinobu.

"Oh, you’re awake! Are you okay now..? You could stay over and rest if you live far from here." Yuuta gives him a sheepish smile, and Shinobu is thoroughly confused, looking at his two friends and then the three for any possible explanation.

It is then explained to both Yuuta and the rest of them what actually happened. With the contribution of Shinobu’s side of the story, they were able to conclude that Yuuta had an energy surge triggered by something they’re not certain of, though Rei assumes it’s due to him restraining his own powers again which then produced the opposite outcome as he’s not so accustomed in doing so, and in the process of turning things back to place, Yuuta had lost his memories from the time they introduced themselves to one another.

At the end of the explanation, Yuuta had a distraught look on his face, most likely from guilt and fear that he could have fatally injured the other boy were he not to turn away in time. Shinobu, however, paid it no mind and approached the three, kneeling to meet Yuuta’s eyes and giving him a reassuring smile.

"Please do not fret over the likes of me, this ninja can only be relieved knowing you’re in a healthy condition now!" Yuuta’s chest _aches_ at this, the boy is too good, and God knows what kind of punishment he’ll put himself in if he did as much as bruise him. "Let us begin the introductions again! I am called Sengoku Shinobu! Yours truly comes from a humble village, encountered a miracle and was recruited to join the army!"

Shinobu stretches out a hand to him, and Yuuta could only look at it. He nervously glances at his family, who both gave him a firm nod (and Hinata holding his left hand), "Aoi Yuuta, the Lunar offspring of a great celestial fox who’s long ascended to the heavens."

They shake hands, and Yuuta’s is _cold,_ but Shinobu supposes it’s a good thing, because this time he’s not forcing the coldness away.

It’s exceptionally courageous of Shinobu to casually approach him like that even though it’s usually him turning away from strangers thanks to his constant anxiety, but somehow, it felt natural for him to speak with Yuuta, almost like he’s known him for a long time.

Rei watches the younguns chatter for a moment, waiting for a turn where he could speak without interrupting anyone. When the time comes, he gathers their attention with a soft clearing of his own throat, before announcing that the party will be ending earlier than planned. "To show my gratitude for accompanying my beloved children, the three of you are granted free rooms to stay in. You’re with Morisawa-kun, yes? I’ve convinced him to stay over as well, and I’m certain he’ll allow the three of you to stay."

"Ah- just one room would be alright with us! The beds are huge, there’s no problem for us to stay in the same room." Tetora insists, but Hinata’s eyes glint for a moment, invisible fox ears perking up and concealed tails swaying in mischief. By the look on his face, he clearly planned something, and Yuuta seems to have the same idea, mirroring his brother’s expression.

"Then how about a sleepover in our room!" Hinata offers enthusiastically, to which Yuuta agrees with. "Our room is big since it’s pretty much two rooms joined together, and we have our own beds which would be big enough for all five of us if placed side by side."

The three contemplate on accepting the offer, but with the hopeful look of the twins’ eyes, they felt like they couldn’t possibly refuse. So the three of them nod, had their things gathered up and brought to the room, with the twins off of their luxurious clothes and into some comfy-looking pajamas. They look much more like children now, wide smiles donning their faces and eyes sparkling in excitement.

They’re guided inside the room shortly, and upon entering, they are immediately greeted by the sight of overwhelming decorations and furnitures all around the room. It does look like it’s divided by two, as the walls are painted in a way that it equally sets the room apart. One side is visibly more pink, and the other side blue. Both sides had stuffed animals neatly placed over some shelves, almost in perfect order from each side. The furnitures are identical, save for the colors, and if disregarded, the room would seem to be perfectly symmetrical.

"What’re you guys waiting for~? Come in!" Hinata invites, and the three are _not-so-gently_ pulled inside the room. They almost fall over the twins due to the sheer force Hinata used to pull them in, and they’re engaged to a cascade of giggles and laughter, painting the room with an atmosphere most appropriate for a lively night.

At midnight, their own little party starts. They played a variety of games, most of which ended up with Hinata as victorious and a furious Tetora flustered over his constant loses against the boy. The luck-based games usually ended up with Shinobu winning, and games that used calculation won by Yuuta. Midori would occasionally win, but that’s because everyone would start feeling bad after his ramblings about depression. In some cases though, he won through is own hard work.

At the hour after midnight, they began a pillow fight. Tetora who wanted to redeem himself after his embarrassing losses was the most enthusiastic about it, with Hinata annoyingly pleading, _I’m opposed to violence!_ Pillow forts were built, and the pillows Yuuta threw would often be a little heavier than it should be (Ice is dense and heavy, and he shall make use of it), but Hinata keeps hiding behind Midori, the poor tall boy always taking the most hits. Shinobu, on the other hand, made use of his ninja antics, though he didn’t really wish to hurt anyone and used it purely to avoid getting hit.

At 2AM, they chat over some snacks, most of which the twins would try joking right as everyone took a bite and successfully having them choke or wheeze over the food. They talked about themselves, their daily lives, and a lot of fun memories spent together. The twins spoke fondly of their mother and how she was like, and the three spoke of the lengths they went through to join the army.

At 3AM, the sensation of sleepiness began lingering over them, and Midori was the first to fall asleep, followed by Shinobu, then Yuuta. Tetora was close to dozing off, but he noticed how doting Hinata’s gaze was to his brother and friends, how his eyes glimmered gently, reflecting the warm light coming from the only lit lamp near the bed. Hinata takes a few more moments to look over them before finally shifting to turn the lamp off, lying down and succumbing into the coziness of the bed and covers. Tetora’s the last one awake, pondering over the bewildering turn of events that led to this smaller-scale of a party, one he had much preferred and thankful for occuring. With one last look at the sleeping four, he sighs, and finally falls into deep slumber.

  
  
  
  


It was a deep sleep, a rest well-deserved for an eventful day. But then, at the back of Tetora’s head, a voice, a dream persistently knocked, projecting him back to that dreaded place he perceives to be a forest.

_It was unbelievably darker this time, moonlight barely shining through the thick mass of trees shrouded over his head. Had it not been for the glowing figure in front of him, he wouldn’t be able to see anything at all. It’s not Hinata, this person is a bit taller than all of them. Her hair and the fur of her nine tails shone gold, equally golden ornaments of her own outfit reflecting the weak sources of light. Her clothes had a striking resemblance to the one he saw Hinata wearing in his last vision, and her eyes were a brilliant emerald, seeming as if it held the very life of the forest._

_Looking around, he realized that the forest is more or less destroyed. A lake nearby and the leaves of some trees are visibly frozen, and piles of ash marked the trees and littered the forest floor. There’s also a great number of lethal-looking arrows circling the small clearing they’re located in, and a small ancient shrine based on the center._

_Tetora felt his head pound, much like the sensation he felt earlier. He falters for a moment, and when he looks back, the lady was replaced by the twins. Their eyes spelled utter fury, three tails perked up in raging anger. They wore less intricate outfits, tattered up, matching the scrapes and cuts marking their limbs._

_The twigs and leaves around the clearing begin snapping and twisting by themselves, and when the twins take a step forward, a tree nearby is cut in half and falls to the ground._

_Visibly luminous energy radiate from the twins, continuously expanding after every step. The two held each other’s hands, looking way past Tetora, and in a burst of light―_

  
  
  
  


In a burst of light, he awakens.

When Tetora opened his eyes, the sun had barely risen, and an unknown weight rested over him. When he shifts to look, it seemed that Hinata had him locked in his embrace (just like Yuuta warned them about Hinata who traps _everything_ near him in his sleep). His mind immediately sets on his tendency to use his time on training, but the warmth and comfort surrounding him could only contribute to his sleepiness. Though the dream bugs him, he supposes it’s probably best to tell the twins about it in the morning.

For the time being, he slept, and no nightmares came through to haunt him in his rest.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woah. Surprise! Lots of characters had been added, yay! I have a lot of plans for this fic and I'm really hoping I can properly put them together. Feedback is always super appreciated!

Two months have passed after the fortunate encounters in the Sakuma Manor, and the trio have not seen the twins ever since. No, even after Tetora woke up, it was only when the twins were being ushered to leave for the day, and he didn’t even get a chance to tell Hinata about his dreams. 

They seemed to be in a hurry, already in casual outfits for leaving. And by the looks of it, they’ll be gone for a while after noticing the mansion staff were carrying a few bags presumably containing a portion of the family’s belongings.

The days after that went by normally, or rather boring in contrast to the eventful night they experienced in the mansion, but maintaining peace was basically their job, and Tetora found himself with no complaints.

_ I’d really like to see them again though, _ Tetora thinks to himself. He’s certain the other two would agree, remembering that that one night was one of the best ones in their young lives so far. Tetora could only wonder where they could be and why they were in such a hurry at the time. 

_ "It’s a se~cret, Tetsu-kun! No telling about our vacation plans!" Yuuta grumbled and hit his brother not so gently on the head, sighing and explaining to them there’s just somewhere they needed to go. "We’ll be back after a few months, I suppose."  _

Tetora didn’t think he was going to hold onto that hope that they won’t be taking too long, but here he is, constantly glancing around the square for any sign of the sunny-haired twins. He did spot a few, almost mistook for a short gentleman with an uncapped marker on both of his hands for one of the twins (it doesn’t help that he seemed to be exactly the same height as them, with similarly dazzling green eyes). He had four other companions, one of which greatly reminded him of the vampire he had met many nights ago. They had almost the same exact color of eyes and hair, and the same lethargic nature they move around with.

The grey-haired person with them roughly pulls the shortest man back by his collar to prevent him from sprinting away (presumably to write on the walls of a monument), grumbling and muttering words that don’t sound the very least appropriate to someone looking like a nobleman. "Ousama, can’t you just sit still already? You’ve been making a ruckus all around ever since we got out of the carriage. Seriously, so annoying." 

"Let go, Sena! My inspiration is still gushing out! You’re basically letting them rush straight to the drain!" The so-called  _ Ousama  _ attempts on shaking him off, but to no avail, Sena Izumi’s grip was far too strong for him to escape. That didn’t stop him from trying though, so he settles on taking off his coat (that was on Izumi’s hold) and scampered off.

"Shit- Hey! Come back here!" He ran off to chase after him, leaving his three other companions in Tetora’s sight. The blonde chuckles in delight, excusing herself to look around the shops built about the square for a few moments. The redhead follows suit, gently shaking the last young man awake who only grouses in response.

He does wake up, however, to the sight of a familiar young guard keeping watch of the town square. He locks eyes with him for a few moments (much to Tetora’s nervousness) only to approach him slowly, yawning on the way. This happens to catch his other two companions’ attention and follows him. "Oh my, oh my? Ritsu-chan, might you know this handsome young boy?"

Ritsu leans in too close, inspecting (...and sniffing?) the awkward young man. "Your blood smells familiar…" 

"Ritsu-senpai, please refrain from looming over people so suddenly!" The redhead scolds, and Tetora finds himself mentally thanking him.

Tetora could only gulp, trying to see if he knew the man. He did vaguely recall Hinata talking about another sibling his father had, so maybe... "Uh... Could you be Lord Sakuma’s younger brother?" 

Ritsu immediately withdraws in response, irritation clearly visible on his features, overtaking his sleepiness. With a click of his tongue, he complains, "Ugh. Ew. Don’t relate me to that bug." 

Oh. He also remembered Yuuta saying their uncle didn’t really like their dad, which Hinata annoyingly cried to,  _ "Little brothers are always like that― A~lways denying their admiration for their Onii-chans!"  _ That, too, earned Hinata a smack of a pillow from his younger brother with a reminder of  _ "Don’t be annoying."  _

Before Tetora could ask anything about the family’s return, he’s interrupted by Ritsu stifling a yawn, stretching his arms out and eyes less lidded than before. "If you’re wondering about the others, they’ll be here in a few moments. These guys just picked me up straight from the ship while Anija was busy being pulled around by the twins." There’s a sort of fondness is his voice when he mentioned the others, and Tetora remembers Hinata’s exclaims,  _ "He may not explicitly show his love, but it’s somewhat noticeable that he cares for all of us, you see~" _

Tetora finds himself smiling at the realization that they’ve returned, and there’s a high probability that they all encounter each other from time to time considering his job. He thanks the little group, waving them a goodbye a little after Ritsu sits on the floor and sleeps, but is then pulled up and away by the other two to go on their way.

It is then when they suddenly heard a loud ruckus which didn’t look like it’d be calming down anytime soon, so Tetora rushed in to stop them. That is, if it wasn’t already taken care of. 

Two large brutes lie on the floor, one being sat on by Leo and the other pressed down by Izumi’s boot. The sunny-haired man’s expression greatly differed from the last time Tetora saw him, wide open smile replaced by barely concealed anger. Izumi remained the same, his irritated face looking down over the fallen brutes.

"My, oh my? That’s rather an inappropriate throne for a King, don’t you think?" A familiar voice cuts through the bustling crowd, and everyone parts for Rei and the twins to proceed (Due to respect or due to fear? No one knew). They all wore outfits that barely allowed anyone to recognize them, sleeves extended over about half of their hands and hats hiding their facial features with shadows. 

The aforementioned "King" stood up, straightened himself up, and before greeting the newcomers, he gave the brutes a disgusted glare. "Rei! These hobknockers tried messing with this little kitty cat here, so I had to teach ‘em a lesson!" Leo gestured to the cat, who peeks up from inside his coat. Izumi bonks him over the head, _ much to Leo’s displeasure, _ and explained further, "Explain the whole story, idiot. You almost wrote over their shoes too while they were harassing the cat." 

Hinata pipes up next, "Oh~? Aren’t you two the ones that almost fought with Yuuta-kun the other day?" It’s Yuuta’s turn to bonk a ginger over the head, shushing him down and nervously looking over to their father. "I wasn’t looking when I was walking around so I bumped into them. It’s my fault." 

Tetora hurriedly approaches, ready to arrest the two troublemakers. Leo, however, halts him with a raise of a hand and speaks with a stern voice, "With my power as King, I sentence both of you to your deaths!" 

"This isn’t your kingdom, idiot. Stop that." Izumi pulls him by the ear, earning him a groan and stomping of feet. Their three other companions walk forth, guiding them off and letting the city guards to their work. After the little commotion, everyone who stood by to watch returned to mind their own respective businesses, Tetora greets the twins who very happily greeted him back. Lucky for him, his shift is over and he can loaf around for the rest of the day. "Where have you guys been?" Tetora didn’t hold his curiosity in.

"I told you it’s a secret~! And there is no way I’m te― Owwie!?" 

"Aniki, stop being so obnoxious." Yuuta sighed, "Dad had to attend an emergency meeting with some officials from another country. Something about a war or whatever."

"Wait, a war? ―ouchies, stop hitting me! Geez, you’re so violent~!"

"Clearly you weren’t paying attention. Seriously, you’re hopeless."

Tetora could only stare at them in confusion, digging deep into his memory for any information about a war. Well, he has heard that there had been one a century or two ago, and he doubts it’s the same one the meeting was for. He hopes it’s nothing worrisome though, he likes the peace within the city’s walls, thank you very much.

As much as the twins wanted to hang out more, they’re both feeling rather exhausted, failing to fight back their yawns and the tendency of falling asleep while standing remains persistent. Rei called for a carriage (which really wasn’t so necessary since their home is only a few blocks away) and went home with his twins, and Tetora thinks he should tell Midori and Shinobu about their return. 

He’s sure they’ll be delighted. 

  
  
  
  
  


In the other side of the city, Shinkai Kanata tests the temperature of the water from a fountain located near the Municipality. For one, Kanata can’t really be stopped the moment he even  _ thinks _ about taking a quick soak on water, so the moment he steps in, the complains of the guards near the place fall into deaf ears and met with airy giggles.

It’s been a normal occasion for the guards to witness the man to step in one of the fountains, it’s not like their Captain minded it. In fact, he’s happy about the blue-haired man’s presence and keeps him company whenever he was available. So here he is, sitting by the rim of the fountain and talking about each other’s day. It’s been like this for a while now, ever since Chiaki met Kanata, he couldn’t find it in himself to sit idly by without interacting with him. 

"Chiaki~" Kanata starts, mellow voice flowing gently from his lips like a calm river, "The ‘sea' has been lively for some ‘time' now.." There’s a downturn in his tone, something Chiaki doesn’t fail to miss, so he shifts to give him a concerned look. "What do you mean? Is there trouble? I’ll eliminate them for you!" 

Kanata shakes his head with a giggle, hair flowing gently as if he were underwater. "Even ‘monsters' locked away from the bottom of the ‘sea'... They are ‘scared’ of ‘something'..." The thing with Kanata’s word choices is that they’re easy to understand. The context, however, often required further decryption. 

Now Chiaki softens his voice, worry starting to settle in his features. Though loud, Chiaki is very observant of the people around him, and he can tell when something’s really wrong. "Are you scared of that  _ something _ too…?" 

"No…” The answer came faster than Chiaki expected, but Kanata’s brows are still knotted, hands gently swaying the water he’s submerged in as a way to put himself at ease. "But the ‘children'... They may not be ‘safe'."

"...Very well! If ever the villain shows up, I’ll have the children evacuate first before I go against them! You can’t fight when there’s a risk of hurting civilians, right?" 

"Chiaki is a good ‘hero'... Always ‘thinking’ about everyone else, but…” Kanata breathes, eyes downcast, "He never ‘thinks' about ‘himself'..." 

Chiaki can only offer a sheepish smile.

  
  
  
  
  


"Where have they been then..? It must’ve been really far away for them to take that long.." Midori asks curiously over a large bowl of chicken noodle soup, a treat after a hard day’s work. Tetora had just announced the return of the Sakuma family. 

"They mentioned another country. They didn’t really specify which one!" Tetora took a sip from his tea.

"Another country.. They must’ve gone by ship, yes? Traveling through the vast seas, how brave of them!" Shinobu pipes up after finishing one of his dumplings.

It was already late into the afternoon when the three had finished their daytime patrols. They met up and had dinner in a Chinese restaurant nearby. Though the place noticeably lacked customers, the ambiance and flavours of the food were exceptional. Tetora almost wondered why it isn’t so popular around the place. The old man who seems to manage it looked content nonetheless.

Tetora assumed it was going to be a peaceful dinner night until the doors flew open revealing a certain orange-headed fox youkai with glimmering green eyes, standing in front of his younger twin and a few other people he didn’t recognize. "Master~? We’re home!"

While the twins haste on their way to the welcoming old man’s arms, the rest settle themselves on a table just besides the three had occupied.

Well, that’s what they thought. 

Because one from the group strayed off and popped up from behind Midori. "HaHiHuHeHo~!" 

The three yelped in unison, as did the occupants of the other table. Looking up close, the boy had blonde, fluffy hair. There’s a few green streaks on his bangs and his eyes sparkled like the morning sky. "HoHo~ Sora recognizes you three! Hina-chan and Yuu-chan’s new friends from that "party", huh~"

The other boy who was just about to scold him eases back into his seat. The brunette beside him laughs in amusement, "Sora-chan, do you know them?" 

"HiHi~ Sora only recognizes their colors! He thinks they’re more like Hina-chan and Yuu-chan’s friends, huh~" 

"U-Um, speaking of the two.. Tomoya-kun, do you know where they went?"

"Ah, they went to help the owner in the kitchen. Turns out they knew him from way back they were younger." 

"That’s pretty amazing, yanno! Just like us!"

"HaHa~ Sora thinks he’s not human either~ He gives off that kind of ‘color', huh~"

"Again with the colors… Well, he does have some kind of air around him? Probably a spirit too or something."

The three could only stare at them blankly, trying to process all the new information laid before them. Tetora opens his mouth to speak, but then is cut off by one of them. "I’m sorry, that might’ve been a bit confusing. Since we all know the twins, I suppose we should get along too?" 

Thankfully enough, Tetora comes to just in time. "Don’t worry about it! I’m Tetora, this is Midori-kun and Shinobu-kun." He gestures to the two who both wave shyly in response.

The other group nods attentively, one speaking up again, "I’m Tomoya. This is Mitsuru, Hajime, and that one’s Sora. Pleasure to meet you three!" 

"Likewise!" 

The newfound group of friends happily chattered while the others awaited their food. They managed to move the two tables together and reserved two seats for the twins, who came back shortly with trays of freshly cooked Chinese delicacies. Both of the twins are more or less baffled about the three’s presence.

After setting down the servings of food, the twins take the seats reserved for them. Yuuta sat between Shinobu and Hajime while Hinata sat between Tetora and Sora. After a good few spoonfuls, Hinata began ambushing them with questions, which then lead one conversation to another, and another, and so on.

They soon learnt of the twins’ relationships with the owner. The memory darted far back when they all still lived in a forest near a mountainside; before they could manipulate their appearance and become accepted to the human society. Being strays as they were much younger due to the discrimination against their kind, they struggled to keep themselves hidden from other humans. However, the old man, whom they described as a fluffy celestial beast with nine eyes and six horns would offer the two food and a place to sleep in, and would occasionally treat their scrapes and bruises with herbs they didn’t even knew existed.

The topic then took a turn with regards to the trip the Sakumas were suddenly tasked to go to. The only answers they got was just as vague as Tetora’s been told.  _ A sudden meeting Dad had to attend in England. _

No one pressed further and opted to talk about something else. They spoke of stories of their childhood, like how Mitsuru, Hajime and Tomoya knew each other since they were much younger, or how Sora’s a young sorcerer’s apprentice who had unique eyes for colors invisible to other people’s eyes, and how the four of them weren’t as human as they seem to be. Each of their own fond memories were passed to one another, without a care for the world around them― 

―and whatever war was being discussed during that meeting.

  
  
  
  
  


Restlessly watching from the pillows of the endless sky is a certain Keeper. His eyes, beginning to grow far too strained from the glass frames before it inspects the book laid open on his desk, watching events be written on its own. Several other books are piled over one side of the desk, neatly and chronologically indicated by numbers. He almost hopes he could bring in some energizing tonics inside the place, but that would go against the rule he set up himself. While significant details are yet to be written, he steps away for a quick stroll through several other sections of the Archive. 

He comes across another Keeper who just got buried under a pile of books. The said keeper almost immediately emerges back up with a weak complaint, something about his lucky charm going missing hence his sudden misfortune. He’s helped back to his feet by his peer and pats off any dust he might’ve caught with him.

"Aoba. How’s this section holding up?"

"Ah, you see.." The aforementioned begins, gesturing to one side of the shelf, "We’re still missing several millennia here, and we’re lacking certain time periods in a lot of other sections.."

"I see.. Thank you for your hard work." 

"Don’t mention it." 

By the time he returns to his desk, the book has already progressed to a new page. He thinks he can see the dim end of the story, but he’ll watch until the end. Every story had its own merit, after all.

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> if you didn't know, the old man is a bai ze or hakutaku, which is a mythical chinese beast  
> the more you know!


End file.
